To better the lives of state employed women

Health and Wellness

Gwen Voelpel from Integris Performance Advisors gave tips on how to become a more effective leader by encouraging us to align our actions with our values which leads us to be more authentic and credible. Participants assessed their personality traits using DiSC model. Once participants categorized their prominent traits (Dominant, Influential Steady Conscientious,) Vopel highlighted ways for us to hone our individual styles to build a more cohesive team in the workplace.

Elisa Law from the Washington State Historical Society gives an overview of plans for events related to the centennial of women’s suffrage.

Votes for Women Centennial grants will be available to fund non-profits and public entities to support programming that celebrates the national suffrage centennial across the State of Washington. The grants will fund programming that will take place in 2020. Grant applications are available here.

A curriculum will be launched in the summer of 2019 for schools and community groups to use. An in-house exhibit in the history museum will be on going along with traveling exhibits throughout the state. A large celebration is planned in Olympia during August 2020. There are many more ways to celebrate this historic event with information available at www.suffrage100wa.com and www.washingtonhistory.org/research/whc/milestones/centennial/ .

Dr. Jaron Banks goes over some exercises to improve posture

Jaron Banks, of the Russell Chiropractic Center in Tumwater discussed the importance of posture while sitting at your desk. He explained the need to get up and move from time to time and shared corrective stretching exercises that can be done in your office or cubicle.

This year’s fair was a huge success! It ran from 11:00am -1:00pm, and drew over 457 attendees and 57 vendors that offered chair massages, health screenings, product samples, and giveaways. Most participants enjoyed a healthy food demonstration along with delicious samples throughout the fair. During this event our team distributed giveaway bags, survey cards, a cell phone fan, and a bottle of water. Due to the large number of attendees, our supplies were depleted by noon!

We heard many great comments from participants and vendors alike.

“This is our favorite fair to attend. The people are responsive and the fair is well-run.” –Vendor

“I’m pleasantly surprised how many vendors participated, and am impressed with this fair.” –Attendee

We believe those who attended this event found it to be educational, interactive and applicable to their physical, emotional, social, and financial well-being in order to maintain a healthy life.

Heart disease and stroke cause 1 in 3 deaths among women each year, killing approximately one woman every 80 seconds. Fortunately, we can change that because 80 percent of cardiac and stroke events may be prevented with education and action. The American Heart Association has developed “Life’s Simple 7,” seven-steps to reduce risk for heart disease and stroke.

Manage Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. When your blood pressure stays within healthy ranges, you reduce the strain on your heart, arteries, and kidneys which keeps you healthier longer.

Control Cholesterol
High cholesterol contributes to plaque, which can clog arteries and lead to heart disease and stroke. When you control your cholesterol, you are giving your arteries their best chance to remain clear of blockages.

Reduce Blood Sugar
Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose (or blood sugar) that our bodies use for energy. Over time, high levels of blood sugar can damage your heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves.

Get Active
Living an active life is one of the most rewarding gifts you can give yourself and those you love. Simply put, daily physical activity increases your length and quality of life.

Eat Better
A healthy diet is one of your best weapons for fighting cardiovascular disease. When you eat a heart-healthy diet, you improve your chances for feeling good and staying healthy – for life!

Lose Weight
When you shed extra fat and unnecessary pounds, you reduce the burden on your heart, lungs, blood vessels and skeleton. You give yourself the gift of active living, you lower your blood pressure and you help yourself feel better, too.

Stop Smoking
Cigarette smokers have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. If you smoke, quitting is the best thing you can do for your health.

I don’t know about you, but at the start of each new year, I resolve to eat healthier, exercise more, and sleep in when I can! Some years I follow through with my promises, and some years I fall short. My days can be very hectic, and sometimes it’s hard to find time to take care of myself.

But, as an ophthalmologist, I always make sure to keep eye health at the top of my list. While it’s my profession, I also know that vision is directly related to my quality of life. Feeling your best includes seeing your best, too. And part of seeing your best is being aware of eye diseases and your risk for them.

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month — the perfect time to spread the word about glaucoma and encourage others to add learning about the disease to their list of resolutions.

To help get you started, here are the five things you need to know about glaucoma.

1.Glaucoma can cause vision loss and blindness that can’t be reversed. Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, which affects your vision since the optic nerve sends visual images to your brain. You can save your vision with early detection and treatment of glaucoma.

2.There is only one way to know if you have glaucoma. Getting a comprehensive dilated eye exam is the only way to find out if you have glaucoma. During the exam, an eye care professional places drops in your eyes to widen the pupils and looks for signs of the disease in the optic nerve.

3.There are no early symptoms. Glaucoma often has no early warning signs. No pain. No discomfort. No blurry vision. Advanced glaucoma will affect your vision, but you shouldn’t wait for symptoms to visit your eye doctor!

4.In the United States, half of the people who have glaucoma don’t know they have it. Nearly 3 million Americans have glaucoma, and half don’t know it. Lack of awareness and lack of symptoms prevent people from getting the disease diagnosed early. You can change that! Find out if you have glaucoma by visiting an eye doctor.

5.Some people are at higher risk than others. African-Americans over 40, adults over 60 (especially Latinos), and people with a family history of glaucoma are at higher risk. That makes early detection important. Are you at higher risk? Find out by talking to your family to find out if anyone has had glaucoma.

Now that you’ve got the facts about glaucoma, make a resolution for healthier vision. Schedule a comprehensive dilated eye exam today! And encourage your friends and loved ones to do the same.

Is there anything better than a bowl of delicious homemade soup? How about a homemade soup that cooks itself? Well, here’s one for you, try this Crock Pot Creamy Tomato Soup and not only satisfy your need for homemade comfort, but do it with minimal effort. Enjoy!

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the oil, celery, carrots and onions; cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until golden. Add to slow cooker.

Pour the juice of the tomatoes into the slow cooker, then roughly crush the tomatoes with your hands; add to slow cooker. Then add chicken (or vegetable broth), the cheese rind (if using) thyme, basil, and bay leaf.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, until the vegetables get soft and the flavors blend. Remove the cheese rid and, using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth (or you can carefully do this in small batches in the blender).

Melt the butter over low heat in a large skillet and add the flour. Stir constantly with a whisk for 4 to 5 minutes. Slowly whisk in about 1 cup of the hot soup, then add the 1 3/4 cups of warmed milk and stir until smooth. Pour back into the slow cooker and stir, add the grated Pecorino cheese and adjust salt and pepper, to taste.

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, and ICSEW wants you to know that there’s a lot you can do to prevent cervical cancer.

HPV (human papillomavirus) is a very common infection that spreads through sexual activity. About 79 million Americans currently have HPV, but many people with HPV don’t know they are infected. HPV is also a major cause of cervical cancer. Each year, more than 11,000 women in the United States get cervical cancer.

The good news?

The HPV vaccine (shot) can prevent HPV. Cervical cancer can often be prevented with regular screening tests (called Pap tests) and follow-up care.

In honor of National Cervical Health Awareness Month, ICSEW encourages:
Women to start getting regular Pap tests at age 21
Parents to make sure pre-teens get the HPV vaccine at age 11 or 12

Teens and young adults also need to get the HPV vaccine if they didn’t get it as pre-teens. Women up to age 26 and men up to age 21 can still get the vaccine.

Thanks to the health care reform law, you and your family members may be able to get these services at no cost to you. Check with your insurance company to learn more.

Did you know?

The FDA has approved a two-dose schedule for the Gardasil HPV vaccine for males and females ages 9-14?

Diabetes is a condition when the body’s inability to convert food into energy resulted from the pancreas failure to produce enough or any insulin. Over time, the high blood sugar (glucose) levels caused by the condition can lead to several health problems and complications. According to the statistics provided by the American Diabetes Association and Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), 29.1 million people or 9.3% population have diabetes (21 million diagnosed, and 8.1 million undiagnosed). Millions more are at great risk of developing the condition. Further, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in United States in 2013.

There are three types of diabetes: Type 1, Type 2 and Gestational.

Type 1: This type, also known as Juvenile diabetes, is usually diagnosed in children and young adults. This is a form of diabetes where the body’s pancreas produces little to no insulin that the body needs to break down sugar to survive, resulting in increase of high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period. The cause to this condition is still unknown. People with type 1 diabetes often develop autoimmune system disorders such as thyroid and gastrointestinal diseases. Treatment of type 1 diabetes requires daily injections of insulin. Insulin cannot be administered orally.

Type 2: This type, also called adult-onset or noninsulin-dependent diabetes, is the most common form of diabetes that affects the way your body metabolizes sugar (glucose). Your body uses sugar as a source of fuel. Unlike type 1, type 2 diabetics produce insulin; however the pancreas either does not secrete enough or the body is resistance to the insulin produced (insulin resistance), which causes the glucose level to rise higher than normal. This is also known as hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). The cause can be hereditary-, lifestyle, excessive body weight and lack of exercise. Over time, this condition can cause health problems such as blindness and glaucoma, foot complications, skin problems, high blood pressures, heart problems, nerve damage and many more. Treatment of type 2 diabetes varies including diet, oral medication and perhaps insulin.

Gestational: Develops and diagnosed during late pregnancy and often occurs to women who have no prior history of diabetes. The gestational diabetes is caused by the malfunctioning of insulin production due to the presence of placenta that releases the hormone to help the baby grow. This makes it harder for the body to produce or use insulin (insulin resistance). The risk factors include obesity, history of gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy, pre-diabetes, ethnicity, parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes, history of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and previous high weight birth of over 9 lbs. Gestational diabetes may increase the risk of C-section delivery due to a larger than normal fetus, pre-eclampsia, depression and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Diabetes Management and Awareness: Learn the symptoms since diabetes (especially type 2) may often go undiagnosed or simply mistaken for other common illnesses. Symptoms of diabetes include extreme thirst, frequent urination, sudden weight lost, increased appetite, sudden vision change and etc. Knowing the signs and early stages of diabetes can save your life or the life of your loved ones. There is no cure for diabetes, but it can be managed with diet, exercise and medicine. Living with diabetes can be frustrating and overwhelming, but it can be managed with proper care from doctors as well as your good management plan.

Thanks to all who participated in the ICSEW toiletries drive. The YWCA’s Other Bank estimates that state agencies donated nearly $8,500 in products. Check it out!

Products distributed by The Other Bank cannot be purchased with food stamps and are not available at food banks, yet they are essential for maintaining health. The Other Bank offers assistance to over 24,000 individuals every year. One-third of their clients are younger than 13 and half of these children are under the age of 5. Their clients are also elderly, disabled, homeless, unemployed, or are just struggling the make ends meet.

If you are interested in making further donations of supplies or money to the Other Bank, here is their website. They would very much appreciate your support.